Five panel folder with cushion ends



Feb. 13, 1968 V 3,368,735

FIVE PANEL FOLDERWITH CUSHION ENDS Filed Sept. 6, 1966 8L 5 INVENTOR United States Patent r 3,368,735 FIVE PANEL FOLDER WITH CUsHroN ENDS Hans L. Levi, 888 8th Ave., New York, NY. 10019 Filed Sept. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 577,384 10 Claims. c1. 229-40 According to the invention there is provided a mailing carton made from a folded one-piece cardboard blank. The blank is so folded that the carton has tubular end portions serving as shock absorbers. In addition the blank has tabs and slots so formed as to facilitate automatic folding of the blank by automatic packaging machinery. The carton is held closed by a self-sealing panel and requires no sea-ling tape, staples or other auxiliary fasteners.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a mailing or shipping carton for a book, made from a generally rectangular blank having top, bottom, front and back panels, the bottom panel having two lateral wings folded to form rectangular tubes which serve as protective cushions for contents of the carton.

Another object .is to provide a carton as described, wherein the top panel has two laterally extending tabs which can be locked into slots formed in the wings defining the tubes which then serve as closed end walls of the carton.

Still another object is to provide a carton as described wherein the top panel has a narrow adhesive coated end panel secured to a narrow front panel which is integral with the bottom panel to define a double wall front closure for the carton, thereby eliminating the need for overlying sealing tape.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a corrugated paperboard blank according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carton in partially closed condition, formed by folding a blank as shown in Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown a corrugated paperboard blank 10 having a generally T-shaped body. The center section of the blank is divided by four transverse fold lines F1-F4 to define five rectangular panels P1-P5. Panels P2 and P4 are larger than alternate panels P1, P3 and P and define respectively the top and bottom walls of the carton to be formed from the blank. Narrow panel P5 integrally joined to panel P4 will form an inner front wall of the closed carton. Narrow panel P1 joined to panel P2 will form the outer front wall of the closed carton. An adhesive layer 12 which may be a pressure sensitive coating, is applied to the upper or inner side of panel P'l. This adhesive layer will stick to the bottom or outer side of panel P5 to form a double wall closure.

The blank has two wings W1 and Wu. These are rectangular sections extending laterally from opposite ends of panel P4. The wings are folded on parallel, closely spaced longitudinally extending lines F5-F8 and F5'=F8'. These fold lines define four narrow panels P6P9 in right wing W1 and four similar panels P6 1 9 in left wing W2. Notches N1, N2 and N1, N2 are formed at ends of fold lines F5, F6 and F5, F6, and slits S1, S2, S1, S2 are formed at center sections of these fold lines, all to facilitate folding the panels to define rectangular tubes. Cutouts 1-4 and 14' are formed in panels P8, P9 and P8, P9. Cutout 14 has a curved edge 16 extending inwardly of panel P9. Cutout 14 has a similar curved edge 16 extending inwardly of panel P9. A generally L-shaped tab 18 with rounded corner C1 is formed in panel P8 at the left edge of cutout 1-4. A similar L-shaped tab 18 with rounded corner C1 is formed in panel P8 at the right edge of cutout 14'. Two generally rectangular tabs T1 and T2 are formed at opposite lateral edges E1 and E1 of panel P2. The tabs are folded on lines F10, F10 which are parallel to edges E1, E1 respectively but slightly spaced inwardly of these edges by narrow slits SL1, SL2 and SL1, SL2. Tabs T1, T2 have opposite curved corners C2, C2 and square corners C3, C3.

FIGURE 2 shows two rectangular tubes 20 and 20" defined by the tWo wings W1 and W2 folded so that panels P9 and P9 are exposed at opposite lateral ends of the carton 10. The tabs 18 and 18' are horizontal with rounded corners C1 and C1 facing outwardly. The tabs T1 and T2 are folded on lines F10, F10" downwardly so that they can be inserted into cutouts 14, 14' respectively. Panel P3 is folded up on line F3 and top panel P2 is folded forwardly on fold line F2.

FIGURE 3 shows how the shape of tab 18 facilitates closure of the carton. The rectangular corner 03- of tab T1 contacts the curved edge of tab corner 01 and tab T1 is guided around as indicated by arrow A so that it enters cutout 14. A similar action takes place at cutout 14. FIG. 4 shows how the curved corner C2 of tab T1 contacts the narrow slit SL3 defined in upper panel P8 at the forward end of curve of cutout 14. Curved corner C2 of tab T1 similarly engages on slit SL3. This has the effect of nesting the tabs T1 and T2 fully in the cutouts while the top panel P2 is pulled forwardly over the tubes 20, 20" and the back panel P3 is pulled forwardly to close the rear ends of the tubes 20, 20. Tabs T1, T2 are thus laterally juxtaposed to outer panels P9, P9 so that the carton has double-panel end walls.

Then the narrow panel P5 is folded up on fold line F4 to the position shown in FIG. 5 and narrow panel P1 is folded down on fold line F1. The adhesive layer 12 sticks to the outer side of panel P5 so that the carton has a double-panel front wall structure. This completes the closure of the carton. The carton is effectively closed by the grip of the tabs T1, T2 in the cutouts 14, 14' and the hold of the adhesive seal between panels P1 and P5. A book or similar article is effectively protected all around and can be shipped safely by mail, freight or otherwise. Tubes 20, 20' serve as protective tubular cushions.

The mailing carton 10' is a one-piece structure. The blank 10 can be die-cut at low costs and the blank can be folded to form carton 10 by automatically operating packaging machinery. No hand folding or sealing, or extra fasteners are required, which effects great economies in labor and materials.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mailing carton for a book or the like, comprising a flat blank made of pliable sheet material, said blank having a generally T-shaped body, said body having a rectangular central portion and two rectangular wing sections, said central portion having four transverse folds defining first, second and third narrow rectangular panels alternating with two larger, wider rectangular panels, a pair of tabs extending laterally outward of opposite lateral edges of one of said wider panels, said wing sections extending outward of opposite lateral edges respectively of the other wider panel, each of said Wing sections having four parallel folds perpendicular to the transverse folds and defining four panels in each of the Wings and having one cutout formed within two adjacent panels for receiving the corresponding ta-b, said two wider panels being joined to the second one of the first named narrow panels which defines a rear wall of said carton while the two wider panels define top and bottom walls respectively of the carton.

2. A mailing carton as recited in claim I, further comprising an adhesive sealing layer on one side of one of the first and third narrow panels engageable with one side of the other one of the first and third narrow panels to define a sealed, double, front wall structure for the carton.

3. A mailing carton as recited in claim 1, wherein the panels of the wings define rectangular tubular cushions interposed between said top and bottom walls and closing opposite ends of the carton, said tubular cushions being closed at one end thereof by said second narrow panel and being closed at the other end thereof by the first and third narrow panels when the blank is folded.

4. A mailing carton as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the tabs has a substantially square corner, and wherein each of the cutouts has an inner edge formed with a rounded corner to be contacted by the substantially square corner of the corresponding tab to guide the same laterally and downwardly into the cutout.

5. A mailing carton as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the tabs has a rounded corner, and wherein each of the cutouts has a forwardly located transverse end edge portion to be contacted by the rounded corner of the corresponding tab to guide the same downwardly into the cutout.

6. A mailing carton as recited in claim 1, wherein the tabs are folded on lines offset laterally inward of opposite end edges of said one wider panel for fitting into the cutouts in lateral jaxtaposition each with one of said wing panels, so that the carton has double-panel end walls.

7. A mailing carton as recited in claim 2, wherein the panels of the wings define rectangular tubular cushions interposed between said top and bottom walls and closing opposite ends of the carton, said tubular cushions being closed at the end thereof by said second narrow panel, and being closed at the other end thereof by the first and third narrow panels when the blank is folded.

8. A mailing carton as recited in claim 7, wherein each of the tabs has a substantially square corner, and wherein each of the cutouts has an inner edge formed with a rounded corner to be contacted by the substantially square corner of the corresponding tab to guide the same laterally and downwardly into the cutout.

9. A mailing carton as recited in claim 8, wherein each of the tabs has a rounded corner, and wherein each of the cutouts has a forwardly located transverse end edge portion to be contacted by the rounded corner of the corresponding tab to guide the same downwardly into the cutout.

10. A mailing carton as recited in claim 9, wherein the tabs are folded on lines offset laterally inward of opposite end edges of said one wider panel for fitting into the cutouts in lateral juxtaposition each with one of said wing panels, so that the carton has double-panel end walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,677,918 7/1928 Gallistel 229-87 2,684,758 7/1954 Aquino 229-40 XR 3,013,711 12/1961 Kronson et a1. 229-36 3,029,996 4/ 1962 Drummond 229-36 3,219,256 11/1965 Zastrow 229-40 3,261,537 7/1966 Kistner 229-40 3,263,897 8/ 1966 Giroux 229-40 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MAILING CARTON FOR A BOOK OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A FLAT BLANK MADE OF PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL, SAID BLANK HAVING A GENERALLY T-SHAPED BODY, SAID BODY HAVING A RECTANGULAR CENTRAL PORTION AND TWO RECTANGULAR WING SECTIONS, SAID CENTRAL PORTION HAVING FOUR TRANSVERSE FOLDS DEFINING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD NARROW RECTANGULAR PANELS ALTERNATING WITH TWO LARGER, WIDER RECTANGULAR PANELS, A PAIR OF TABS EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARD OF OPPOSITE LATERAL EDGES OF ONE OF SAID WIDER PANELS, SAID WING SECTIONS EXTENDING OUTWARD OF OPPOSITE LATERAL EDGES RESPECTIVELY OF 